Smeringopina simintang, Huber, Bernhard A., 2013

Huber, Bernhard A., 2013, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Guineo-Congolian spider genus Smeringopina Kraus (Araneae, Pholcidae, Zootaxa 3713 (1), pp. 1-160 : 43-44

Smeringopina simintang new species

Figs. 643–647 , 684–685 , 697 , 750–755

Type. ♂ holotype from Gabon, Ogooué-Ivindo, Ivindo N.P. near Simintang (0°32.2’N, 12°41.3’E), 545 m a.s.l., forest, 16.viii.2011 (B.A. & S.R. Huber), in ZFMK (Ar 10293).

Other material examined. GABON: Ogooué-Ivindo: Ivindo N.P. near Simintang , same data as holotype, 1♂ 4♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10294); same data, 4 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gab 217).

Etymology. The name is a noun in apposition, derived from the type locality.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from similar congeners (large species with long abdomen, cone-shaped modified hairs on male chelicerae, embolus with sclerotized proximal part) by shape of massive procursus (with ventrodistal apophysis; entire procursus similar S. mayebout but wider and shorter, Figs. 750–751 ), sclerotized proximal part of embolus with distinctive retrolatero-ventral projection ( Fig. 645 ), modified hairs on male chelicerae ( Fig. 752 ; smaller than in S. mayebout and S. ebolowa ), and strongly protruding anterior epigynal plate (in lateral view; Fig. 685 ). From most congeners (except S. ebolowa , S. kribi , S. bwiti ) also by modified male clypeus (slightly projecting rim set with small modified, cone-shaped hairs).

Male (holotype). Total body length 7.0, carapace width 1.9. Leg 1: 73.7 (17.3 + 0.8 + 16.7 + 35.6 + 3.3), tibia 2: 11.2, tibia 3: 7.7, tibia 4: 10.4; tibia 1 L/d: 94. Distance PME-PME 185 µm, diameter PME 195 µm, distance PME-ALE 105 µm, distance AME-AME 45 µm, diameter AME 175 µm. Carapace ochre-yellow with brown mark posteriorly and wide brown lateral margins; ocular area brown posteriorly, clypeus lower half darkened, sternum dark brown with some light spots; legs light brown, dark rings subdistally on femora and tibiae and in patella area, tips of femora and tibiae whitish; abdomen ochre-gray with distinct dark pattern dorsally, laterally, and ventrally. Habitus as in Figs. 643–644 , ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with distinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; clypeus with about six small modified (cone-shaped) hairs near rim; deep thoracic pit and pair of shallow furrows diverging behind pit. Chelicerae as in Fig. 752 , with lateral proximal apophyses and strong distal apophyses, the latter and frontal cheliceral face provided with modified (cone-shaped) hairs. Palps as in Figs. 645–647 ; coxa unmodified; trochanter with simple retrolatero-ventral apophysis; femur proximally with ventral pocket bordered retrolaterally by strong sclerotized ridge, with tiny retrolateral apophysis, without prolateral modification; prolateral femurpatella joint very prominent and strongly shifted toward ventrally (hidden by bulb in Fig. 645 ); tarsus with some stronger hairs dorsally; procursus with distinct hinge between proximal and distal part and ventro-distal apophysis ( Figs. 750–751 ); bulb with widened and sclerotized proximal part of embolus with heavily serrated dorsal ridge and distinct ventral projection ( Figs. 645–647 , 753 ). Legs without spines and curved hairs, with few vertical hairs, retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 1.5%; prolateral trichobothrium present on all tibiae; pseudosegments barely visible.

Variation. Tibia 1 in other male: 14.5.

Female. In general similar to male but clypeus unmodified. Tibia 1 in 4 females: 12.7, 12.7, 13.1, 14.0. Epigynum large, consisting of wide, roughly triangular anterior plate clearly protruding in lateral view and large posterior plate ( Figs. 684–685 , 754 ); internal genitalia as in Figs. 697 and 755 .

Natural history. S. simintang adult specimens build large webs in large protected spaces near the ground. Such spaces are rare at the type locality, explaining the low number of specimens despite of considerable collecting effort.

Distribution. Known from type locality only ( Fig. 627 ).

Figures

FIGURE 627. Known distribution of the beninensis species group.

FIGURES 638 – 647. Smeringopina mayebout n. sp. (638 – 642) and S. simintang n. sp. (643 – 647). 638 – 639, 643 – 644. Males, dorsal and ventral views. 640 – 642, 645 – 647. Left male palps, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views.

FIGURES 678 – 693. Female abdomens in ventral and lateral views, beninensis group. 678 – 679. Smeringopina ebolowa n. sp. 680 – 681. S. essotah n. sp. 682 – 683. S. mayebout n. sp. 684 – 685. S. simintang n. sp. 686 – 687. S. belinga n. sp. 688 – 689. S. beninensis Kraus. 690 – 691. S. kribi n. sp. 692 – 693. S. sahoue n. sp.

FIGURES 694 – 702. Cleared female genitalia in dorsal view, beninensis group. 694. Smeringopina ebolowa n. sp. 695. S. essotah n. sp. 696. S. mayebout n. sp. 697. S. simintang n. sp. 698. S. belinga n. sp. 699. S. beninensis Kraus. 700. S. kribi n. sp. 701. S. sahoue n. sp. 702. S. tchimbele n. sp.

FIGURES 750 – 755. Smeringopina simintang n. sp. 750 – 751. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views. 752. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 753. Left embolus, prolateral (slightly dorsal) view. 754. Epigynum, ventral view. 755. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.5 (750 – 753), 1.0 (754 – 755).